Does Religious Attendance Inoculate Against Right-Wing Populism?

• In Event: Religion and Populism (Co-sponsored by Political Sociology Section)

Abstract

Amongst the most important political developments of the last decade is the rise of right-wing populist and religious nationalist movements. Much research has been done on religious nationalism and right-wing populism arguing that, while these movements appropriate religious imager to highlight cultural divides, they are distinct from religion and in fact surprisingly secular. The strongest version of this idea is that religious attendance actually “inoculates” individuals against such ideology, as the ranks of religious nationalist parties are filled with nominal religious affiliates. I tested this idea using a large, high-quality, cross-national dataset (35 countries; total sample size of 41,503 individuals) collected by Pew Research Center in 2024. Preliminary results reveal no evidence of a religious inoculation effect, and in fact compelling evidence to the contrary. Religious attendance is significantly and positively associated with stating that it is very important for the country’s leader to have the same religious beliefs as the respondent, hold strong religious beliefs, and stand up for people of the respondent’s religion; stating that the country’s dominant religion’s main scripture should have a great deal of influence on the countries laws; and have favourable views towards right-wing populist parties. This positive association holds for both adherents to their country’s dominant religion and also for those affiliated with a minority religion or not affiliated with any religion. There is no evidence of a religious “inoculation” effect against religious nationalism and right-wing populism. If anything, religious attendance encourages those worldviews.

Author

• Joseph Charles Roso, Ambrose University